Smoke observation mechanism



June 28, 1955 J, F, HORVATH 2,711,710

SMOKE OBSERVATION MECHANISM IN V EN TOR.

June 28, 1955 J. F. HORVATH SMOKE OBSERVATION MEOHANISM 2 sheets-shea 2File'i Dec. 25, 1953 SMOKE OBSERVATION MECHANISM John F. Horvath,Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to leaver- Brooks Company, a corporation ofWisconsin This invention relates to a smoke observation mechanism andmore particularly to a means for observing smoke in a stack in order todetermine the characteristics of the lire producing the smoke.

Boilers have for some time been equipped wlth vanous burner mechanismsusing light oil, heavy oil, and gas as f the fuel. The condition of theburner and the tubes in the boiler may be somewhat indicated by theappearance of the smoke in the stack leaving the boiler. In the past,such stacks have. been provided with a hole cut in one side covered by acurved plate merely placed over the hole. The plate has been mounted ona pivot pin and its own weight has been relied upon to hold it over thehole to prevent the leakage of gas from the stack. In forced draftfurnaces, the smoke ordinarily is passing through the stack withsuiiicient speed to permit the opening of the hole for smoke observationwith the use of a flashlight or some other artificial illumination.

In the present invention, a mechanism is provided which seals theobservation passage from any leakage when not in use and which has theadvantage of being usable without the need of artificial illumination.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a mechanismfor opening an observing passage in a srnokestack and at other timessealing such passage.

Another object is to provide such a mechanism which may be opened andclosed from one side' of the stack.

A further object is to provide such a mechanism which is not affected bycorrosive gases in the stack itself, and

A further object is tol provide a mechanism which may be easilymanufactured and installed on a stack.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description taken in conjunction with aparticular embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of the front end of aboiler unit showing the smoke observation mechanism mounted on the stackof the unit;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the mechanism takensubstantially along line 2 2 in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a portion ofthe mechanism in detail and taken substantially along line 3-3 in Figure1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the mechanism takensubstantially along line 4-4 in Figure 2; and

Figures 5 and 6 are fragmentary side elevational views illustrating themechanism in open and closed positions respectively.

The particular boiler structure illustrated in part in Figure 1 includesa boiler shell 10 mounted on skids 11 and having a front door 12 uponwhich is mounted a burner housing 13 and a fan motor 14 for supplyingair to the burner. An air intake 15 conducts air to the fan which is rundirectly on the shaft of the motor 14. The boiler includes a number ofre tubes, and in the particular embodiment shown, is a four-pass forceddraft nited States Patent O Fice furnace. The fuel may be light oil,heavy oil, or gas at the option of the operator. The combustion productspass through the fire tubes and finally exhaust through the stack stub16. This stub is provided with an upper flange 17 for connection withthe stack of the building wherein the boiler is used. The structure ofthe boiler itself is more completely set out in the copendingapplication of Messrs. Cleaver, Loebel and Horvath, Ser. No.

403,286, liled January 1l, 1954. The present invention is concerned onlywith the smoke observation mechanism for the stack 16 and the boiler isillustrated for purposes of adding the environment. p

The smoke observation mechanism is intended to require a minimum ofupkeep and repair and to this end the parts are protected from thecorrosive effect of thev combustion products in the stack. It is alsointended that the mechanism be operable for observing theflow of smokein the stack without the use of articiallight.

The mechanism itself includes a pair of short pipe nipples 18, eachmounted in an appropriately cut hole 19 inthe sides of the stack atdiametrically opposite positions. The nipples are welded in place, carebeing exercised to align them along the same axis. A deviation fromtruel lit over and close the adjacent nipple 1S. Each plate is providedwith a square opening 22 in the narrow portion for the reception of asquare shaft or rod 23. This rod supports the plate in part and providesa means for swinging the plate laterally of the nipple to expose thesmoke observation passage to view.

The rod is protected from the corrosive effect of combustion products bya tubular elongated sleeve 24 welded into the stack and passing throughthe stack generally parallel and to one side of the nipples 1S. r1`heend portions 25 of the sleeve extend outwardly from the stack and therod 23 extends out of each end of the sleeve. The

plate 20 is mounted on the rod between the end of the sleeve 25 and theshank 26 of a handle member 27. The

. 22. and the size of the square rod 23. The handle 27 is secured to therod by a pair of set screws 28 so that turning of the handle moves therod and simultaneously swings the plate 2t? relative to the nipples 18.

Means are provided to insure a tight closure of the observation passagewhen not in use. Herein, this means comprises a compression spring 29mounted about a boss 30 on the handle member 27 and pressing against theplate 20. The plate is at and the outer end of the nipple 1S is machinedto present a planar end which may be sealed by the plate. There is noparticular tendency for the spring to move out of alignment since boththe handle and plate are mounted on the rod and turn with the rod. Onehandle 27 may be provided with an outwardly extending handle portion 3ior, in the alternative, both handle members may be so constructed.Ordinarily the observation passage will be opened from one side of thestack and the extension 31 on the handle member should be placed on thisside.

A pin stop member 32 is provided on the inside of one of the plates 20so that it may bear against the inside of On larger boiler units, thestack may be one nipple 18, as illustrated in Figure 5, to limit thelateral swinging of the plates 2t) relative to the nipples. A smallportion of the passage defined by the nipples is closed by the edgeportion 33 of the plates, however, the amount that the plate remainsover the passage is very small compared with the size of the passageitself. This small amount of ever-present covering of the passage doesnot impair the operators ability to see the smoke in the stack.

`It will be noted from the structure that each of the plates Zt) issupported on the nipples under the action of the compression spring. Thenipples can be out of alignment and yet the plates will be able to t onthe outer end thereof due to the looseness of the mounting between theplates and square rod.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, for some modifications will be obvious to those skilled inthe art.

I claim:

l. A smoke observation mechanism for a stack, comprising: a pair ofaligned nipples one on either side of a stack to provide a substantiallystraight light passage through the stack; a swingably mounted plateslidable over the exposed end of each nipple for opening and closing thelight passage, means yieldingly urging the plates into seatingengagement with the nipples, a rotatable rod supporting both of saidplates for swinging movement upon rotation of the rod, and handle meanson the rod permitting manual opening and closing of the passage from oneside of the stack.

2. A smoke observation mechanism for a stack, comprising: a pair ofaligned nipples one on either side of a stack to provide a substantiallystraight light passage through the stack; a mounting rod extendingthrough the stack beside said nipples; a plate secured to each endportion of the rod in position to cover the adjacent nipple, said platesbeing yieldingly urged into tight engagement with the nipples andsecured to the rod for swinging movement laterally of the nipples uponturning or the rod on its axis and handle means secured to the rod.

3. A smoke observation mechanism for a stack, comprising: a pair ofaligned nipples one on either side of a stack to provide a substantiallystraight light passage through the stack; a sleeve extending through thestack generally parallel to the nipples; a rod extending loosely throughthe sleeve and protruding from each end; a handle on the rod; a platemounted on each protruding rod portion for covering the adjacent nipple,each plate having limited movement relative to the rod and being securedfor turning with the rod; and means yieldingly urging each plate membertoward the adjacent nipple to provide a tight \covering of the lightpassage.

4. A smoke observation window for a stack, compris- ,ing: alignednipples one on either side of a stack to pro- (vide a substantiallystraight light passage through the stack; a rod extending through thestack adjacent the nipples and generally parallel to the light passage;a handle member secured to each end of the rod and extending outwardlyover the adjacent nipple; a generally at plate mounted on the rodbetween each handle member and adjacent nipple and having a size tocover the nipple, said plate being slidably mounted on the rod andsecured against rotation relative to the rod so as to turn therewith;and a spring member between each handle and adjacent plate urging theplate into sealing contact with the nipple while permitting movement ofboth plates ot the nipples by manual turning of the rod from-either sideof the stack.

5. A smoke observation window as specified in claim 4 in which at leastone plate has a stop lug projecting inwardly of the adjacent nipple toengage the nipple limiting movement of the plates laterally of thenipples.

6. A smoke observation Window as speeied in claim 4 wherein a sleeveextends through the stack and carries said rod, the sleeve being joinedto the stack in gastight relation.

7. A smoke observation window as specied in claim 4 wherein a sleeveextends through the stack and carries said rod, the sleeve being joinedto the stack in gastight relation, said plates each having limitedmovement axially of the rod between the end of the sleeve and theadjacent handle member.

8. A smoke observation mechanism for a stack, cornprising: a pair ofoppositely arranged nipples each positioned in a side of a smoke stackin gas-tight relation to provide a straight observation passage throughthe interior of the stack, each nipple having an outer planar end, andmeans for closing and opening the nipples from one side of the stackincluding a sleeve member extending continuously through the stackgenerally parallel to said observation passage and beside the nipples,an elongated rod. extending through the sleeve member and protrudingfrom each end of the sleeve, a cover plate mounted on the rod forlimited axial movement thereon at each end in position to cover theouter planar end of the nipple, a handle member tightly secured to eachend of the rod and having a portion extending outwardly over theadjacent cover member, and a compression spring member between the covermember and handle member yieldingly urging the cover member into seatingposition on the nipple, said cover members being secured to the rod forsliding movement away from covering relation upon turning of the rodwithin the sleeve with either handle member.

FOREIGN PATENTS France Jan. 28, 1946

